Matthew Offord, Conservative MP for Hendon, is presenting the argument during a Ten Minute Rule Bill. He is being backed by dog welfare organisations the Dogs Trust and the Kennel Club. Read a letter from the Kennel Club here.
The Bill follows the publication of research, funded by Defra, which shows that the collars can cause negative behavioural and physiological changes in dogs.
Mr Offord said Defra was ignoring its own research.
He said: “In 2013, Defra published its two studies which showed that electric shock collars can cause some dogs negative welfare issues even when trained by a professional using ‘relatively benign training programmes’, so therefore many would deem them unsafe.
“Very few people who buy these devices would have the skill set of an experienced training and behaviour adviser, so there would surely be a heightened chance of long-term negative impacts.
“… As a dog will have no idea what has caused the pain, it is far more likely to associate it with something in its immediate environment than to connect it with its own behaviour at the time.
A Twitter poll carried out by Pets mag indicates there is overwhelming support for a ban. We support a ban, and let’s hope common-sense prevails and these barbaric devices are soon outlawed across the UK. If not, watch this space…